Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I knew it was coming, but Ron DeSantis officially announcing his presidential campaign today has me feeling pretty pissed off, and I imagine a lot of you are feeling the same way. But we’re fighting the good fight, and this isn’t something I’m willing to give up on. We’re all exhausted and angry and scared, but I hope we all keep fighting. I’m right there with you.
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
Bringing librarians back: a Minneapolis district aims to reinstate a licensed librarian at each school.
Someone returned a library book to the Saint Helena Library in California that was nearly 100 years overdue.
Cool Library Updates
Why Boston is turning bus stops into digital pop-up libraries.
Worth Reading
Between the stacks: A day in the life of a library.
Book Adaptations in the News
Hollywood faces a larger work stoppage as actors threaten to strike alongside writers.
Megan Abbott’s Beware the Woman is being turned into a film, and when the WGA strike ends, she’ll be writing the script!
Josh Hutcherson and Liev Schreiber are starring in an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s Across the River and Into the Trees.
Thora Birch is making her directorial debut with the adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s Mr. Paradise.
Netflix cancels Lockwood & Co. after one season.
Trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon. Plus, Chief Standing Bear, leader of the Osage Nation, says that Martin Scorcese and Leonardo DiCaprio have “restored trust” with their work on this movie.
Trailer for The Color Purple has been released.
Trailer for Outlander, Season 7.
Censorship News
School librarians face a new penalty in the banned-book wars: prison.
The Washington Post published an analysis of book challenges across the country and found that the majority of challenges were filed by just 11 people. ACROSS THE COUNTRY. So if you still needed proof that only a tiny percentage of the population is in favor of book banning…here it is.
The Republican plan to take over school boards may be backfiring.
The Department of Education has delivered a potentially crucial finding in the fight against book bans. This comes after their investigation into the removal of books in Forsyth County (GA) schools, many of which featured Black and LGBTQ characters.
A Connecticut bill would fund sanctuary libraries.
Waco ISD (TX) has fielded a number of challenges and emails regarding “inappropriate” books in the Waco ISD libraries. Several board members said they don’t think these are coming from Waco ISD parents. Quelle surprise.
The ACLU wrote a letter to the Mansfield ISD (TX) about their recent anti-trans book policy, but the school appears to be going forward with the policy anyway.
Keller ISD mom Laney Hawes claims that the district’s book policy is causing school librarians to pull books not based on their content, but solely on the assigned reading level. “I have a fourth grader who’s reading at a sixth, seventh, potentially even eighth-grade reading level, and now, we have this policy that’s come down that says, well, those books can’t actually be in his school anymore.”
Laurie Halse Anderson speaks out about Florida schools banning Speak.
Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem has been banned in the Miami-Dade (FL) school district following a single complaint, along with three other books.
Osceola County (FL) parents are pushing to have Assassination Classroom removed from high school libraries, saying it’s too violent. You know what’s too violent? All of the real life shootings happening in schools every week. Books aren’t the problem here.
Flagler County Schools (FL) removed two books after parents complained, without following their formal review process.
What will it take for media outlets to stop centering Moms for Liberty in their articles??
Moms for Liberty claims that there are at least 28 books in the Santa Rosa School District (FL) that contain sexually explicit or “culturally indoctrinating” language.
Ouachita Parish Library (LA) is waiting to hear back from the attorney general about what to do with two challenged books, so in the interim, they’ve put the books behind the desk and are restricting checkout to patrons over 18. Also worth mentioning that the attorney general, Jeff Landry, created a tip line last year for people to report inappropriate library books to the state.
Forsyth County Schools (GA) now requires parental permission for students to check out The Handsome Girl and Her Beautiful Boy.
Columbia County Board of Commissioners (GA) heard from multiple residents concerned about the locations of multiple books in the public library. (Paywalled).
Massachusetts librarians are under attack amid a record number of book challenges and complaints.
Here’s a wild policy: Coelho Middle School in Massachusetts is not removing any challenged books, but they are restricting 5th and 6th grade access to the YA section, UNLESS the student can name a specific title they’re looking for, at which point school staff would contact the parent or guardian for approval.
Ludlow Public Schools (MA) wants to limit pornographic books in the school libraries. Mission accomplished, because NO PUBLIC SCHOOL PROVIDES PORNOGRAPHY TO STUDENTS.
Titles for teens are being challenged across the state in Connecticut.
Newtown Board of Education (CT) is deadlocked on whether or not to retain the graphic novel, Flamer. A 2019 Newtown alum spoke at a recent board meeting in support of LGBTQ books, and said “I thought we we’re better than this even though honestly I think that might not be true.”
Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey have introduced new legislation similar to Illinois’ recent legislation, which withholds funding from any public school or library that removes books based on “partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”
Central York (PA) Board Policy Committee added language to their book policy that states “Students have access to ALL library books/library materials,” but that parents can contact school staff to enact limitations on what their child can check out. Plus, Central York high schoolers are protesting their district’s book bans (again).
Central Bucks Schools (PA) have pulled This Book is Gay and Gender Queer from school shelves.
Fauquier County Schools (VA) are requiring every school library to publish a list of books in the collection that contain “sexually explicit” content, so that parents can email the librarian to have certain books marked as “off limits” for their student. What does “sexually explicit” actually mean in this context? No one knows!
A Catholic church in Front Royal, Virginia is working to get over 100 books pulled from the Samuels Public Library. (Yeah, that whole revelation from the Washington Post article about how 11 people are responsible for over 50% of the total book challenge requests across the country? This definitely fits.)
A North Carolina pastor wants It’s Perfectly Normal removed from Asheville schools, saying that the book is pornographic.
Wake County (NC) schools have implemented a new policy that prohibits “pervasively vulgar” books from being read aloud or included in library classrooms. What’s considered “pervasively vulgar” is apparently up to interpretation.
Dorchester Schools (SC) will retain Stamped.
Beaufort County Schools (SC) are returning seven books to library shelves, although one book (Identical by Ellen Hopkins) will be sent back through the review process due to a tie vote from the book review committee.
Crawford County Library Board (AR) is looking to create a new public comment policy after an increasing number of people have spoken at recent meetings.
Saline County (AR) Republicans paid to put up a billboard that reads “Stop X-Rated Library Books,” along with the library’s website. Charming.
A survey of book banning across Tennessee.
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools (MI) has banned Gender Queer.
A group of speakers attended a recent Zeeland Public Schools Board of Education (MI) meeting, saying that the schools should implement a rating system for books, as well as require parental consent for specific titles. (Here’s why that’s not a good idea.)
A group of Heyworth (IL) parents reportedly called the police after a middle school teacher hosted a “book tasting” event for her students that included This Book is Gay. The teacher was placed on administrative leave and has since resigned, saying “The notion that I was putting children in danger because of books — I didn’t feel safe. I knew I couldn’t go back.”
Kalona Public Library (IA) will keep Gender Queer.
Tricks will remain in the Carroll Community School District (IA).
This Book is Gay is returned to Iowa City high schools.
Nixa schools (MO) will decide at their June board meeting whether or not to ban seven challenged books.
A whole load of nonsense in regards to Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the controversial email he sent to state legislators last month about inappropriate books in public schools.
Academy School District 20 in Colorado Springs has removed three books that a conservative group said met the legal definition of obscenity, without following any kind of a removal procedure. The conservative group wrote a letter, saying “Many parent groups have taken a very public approach to escalate this issue and are reading sexually explicit excerpts during their Board of Education comments. We are reaching out directly to you in hopes of a better solution. Given the Revised Statute, removal of these books should be less controversial and not subject to hours of debate during school board meetings.” WOW, Colorado Springs. Just WOW.
Montana becomes the first state to specifically ban drag performers from reading to children at public schools and libraries.
Boundary County Library (ID) is holding its first reconsideration meeting in regards to four challenged books.
Book banners take over an Idaho library board after a disgraceful campaign.
Corvallis-Benton County Library (OR) elects to keep 5 challenged books.
Liberty Lakes (OR) has passed a law that gives the city council the final say on public library book bans. Not, you know…the librarians.
Western Placer Unified School District (CA) will retain The Hate U Give as part of the 9th grade curriculum.
A group of bigots is looking to get all LGBTQ+ books removed from Brandon Schools in Manitoba.
Books & Authors in the News
Hank Green announces that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
British novelist Martin Amis has died at 73.
Numbers & Trends
The best-selling books of the week.
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Award News
Georgi Gospodinov’s Time Shelter wins the International Booker Prize.
TikTok is launching its own book awards.
An honor to be nominated: a guide to the major book awards.
Pop Cultured
Only Murders in the Building Season 3 will premiere in August.
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
30 great book podcasts to enhance your reading life.
On the Riot
How this reader finally let go of their grudge against Charlotte Brontë.
Why are more and more brands creating virtual book clubs?
How should we feel about Barnes & Noble now?
Merging collections: how to move in with another book lover.
Blaine sent me this picture today with the caption “The Dark Doodles watches over his city.” Think we can get Christopher Nolan to film the trilogy?
Welp, that’s all for me today. Keep fighting the good fight, but take some time to enjoy the long weekend. Don’t forget, BookRiot.com has a new podcast called First Edition, with bookish interviews, lists, rankings, retrospectives, recommendations, and much more! Subscribe to First Edition on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your podcatcher of choice.
I’ll catch you again on Tuesday!
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.
